The transfer of patients between hospital beds and stretchers is a significant cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in caregivers within the healthcare sector. Although there is considerable prior art disclosing mechanical means to aid in accomplishing the task, most caregivers still resort to physically lifting the patient between the hospital bed and stretcher or gurney. Gangly, ineffective and time-consuming devices have thus far been used with less frequency to the favor of a simple backboard with hand holds around the perimeter (US Design Pat. No. 329,216). During a patient transfer, the stretcher is placed adjacent to the hospital bed. The patient is rolled on his/her side and the backboard is slid under the patient. The patient is rolled back on the board. The caregivers must reach over the bed and lift and pull in an outstretched manner that places excessive stress to the back and shoulders. Over time, the caregiver may encounter sudden or progressive MSD injuries.
Transferring patients is not only injury prone, it is also labor intensive. Recent OSHA guidelines for reducing MSD injuries in nursing homes recommends two or more caregivers to accomplish a bed-to-bed transfer. As many as six caregivers may be required for larger non-ambulatory patients. Bariatric patients, severely obese, are moved in their hospital beds and not transferred to a stretcher, as the risk of injury to move them is typically considered too high.
In addition to the injury of the caregiver, injury can occur to the patient during a transfer. An IV pull, a shear injury to a bed sore, bruised or broken bones can result in older and fragile patients.
Additionally, the transfer of patients from a seated position on one surface to a lying position on another surface, or vice versa, is even more complicated. Systems and methods that attempt to address such situations are even more rare. Generally, care givers are left to team up and be as careful as possible in physically lifting and transferring the patient.
As will be appreciated, beyond the transferring of patients, similar issues of moving bodies of significant weight exist. For example, movement of cadavers could pose a similar risk of injury to those attempting to transfer the body. Such bodies could also, in other applications, include animals or large objects.